Silver
by Kawaiigemini
Summary: ***Continuation for HOST, Stephanie Meyer's newest book*** Wanda and Ian continue their lives together in a world that threatens their relationship.
1. Chapter 1

Silver

Silver

I do not own anything by Stephanie Meyer.

Wanda sighed inwardly as she tucked her small form closer to Ian's side on the double mattress they shared. The rains would let up soon, and then they could move back into their own cavern like rooms. The air in the large game cavern was damp with the smell of creosote everywhere. It hung in her hair and clung to all of her clothes. The smell reminded her of Melanie. Memories of Melanie's time in the desert invaded her mind. Grimacing, she forced it all from her thoughts. She didn't want to have all of Melanie's memories, but she couldn't help it. Wanda, or Wanderer wanted her own memories of this world. Wanda smiled. Those would come. She and Ian would make them.

Ian, sensing her wakefulness, squeezed her gently and sat up with her in his arms.

"Sleep well babe?" he whispered, mindful of their neighbors.

"Not as well as I'd like," she answered shyly, "I'm sure it will be _much_ better when we have space to ourselves," she finished with a wink. Lately, her body had been letting her know just _how_ much she wanted alone time with Ian.

Ian smiled. "I know how you feel. A little bit longer, love. Then we get all the time we could want."

He kissed her, and got up. It was time to get ready for the day. The farthest fields needed planting, and Wanda and Ian were scheduled to work it. Wanda was definitely NOT looking forward to it. The soil was going to be wet and mushy. Not her idea of a good time. Ian had protested her assignments. They were all "too labor intensive", according to him. Wanda just blew him off. Just because she was stuck in this small, week body didn't mean she could sit and watch everyone work hard. It was an argument neither could win, but neither would give up.

Wanda sat up from her crouch in the field. She was already so tired! She absolutely hated this weak body sometimes! Ian thought she was beautiful, but Wanda missed the strength and stamina from Melanie's body. Well, beggars couldn't be choosers, she thought. The heat had started up again as soon as the rains started to slack off. The chamber was actually steaming. She started to feel dizzy from the sheer heat. The simple motion of placing grain in the earth tired her out far sooner than even her fragile body was used to.

"Are you tired, already?" Wanda started from her thoughts at Ian's voice.

"N-no!" she stammered, kneeling over to continue. Waves of dizziness suddenly engulfed her, freezing her in place. She groaned as nausea attacked her. What was wrong with her? She looked up, searching for Ian through the haze of her vision as a roaring began in her hearing.

Wanda saw Ian's stricken look as she fell forward into his arms and knew no more.

Light stabbed through into her consciousness. "Unnnng" she blundered, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"Wanda?" Ian's voice sounded. From his voice, it sounded like they were in a smaller chamber of their underground "palace".

Wanda opened her eyes, slowly, hand shielding her from the curious blue lights. "What?' she asked, almost annoyed.

"Wanda, you passed out while we were in the fields. Are you all right? You scared me so much!" Ian said, eyes intense.

Wanda struggled to sit up. "Sure, I guess I just go too hot. Sorry," she finished, not meeting Ian's eyes.

"That's it. No more fields for you. The heat is just too much for you!" Ian's arm circled around Wanda to help her sit up. He pressed a cup into her hands, helping her to take a drink as he spoke. She nearly spit out all she drank when he finished.

"No!" Wanda protested. Her voice sounded far too weak for her taste. "I want to work with you! Don't make me wash dishes all the time!" Tears leaked down Wanda's face.

"Shhh," Ian whispered, hugging Wanda to him. "Don't worry about that right now. Just relax. Doc came in to see you earlier. He worries about you too. He wants you to stop as well."

"I don't care about Doc says!" Wanda yelled becoming more and more agitated.

"Ok! Ok!" Ian said, sensing her distress. "Calm down, love. We'll think of something. You don't have to wash dishes all the time," he soothed, and Wanda melted into his warm embrace.

Slowly, Wanda became aware of where they were. "Ian, are we in your room?"

Ian smiled. "Yeah. Doc thought you might need some privacy, or more than what you would get in the hospital wing. We cleaned this up while Doc checked you out. The rains have officially stopped."

"Oh," Wanda said, mind far away. Suddenly, she figured out what that meant. "OH! You mean!? We don't have to sleep in the game room anymore!?" Excitement surged through her. They would finally get to be together. Her emotions were so wild, Wanda gasped.

Ian chuckled. "don't worry about anything." He sensed her excitement and fear. Suddenly, he let go of Wanda and stood in front of her, leaning in so their faces were level. "Stay here and rest today. We'll work something out as far as the fields go. Don't worry about it right now." Ian kissed her soundly, and left the room.

Wanda didn't know what to do. She touched her lips, remembering the kiss from Ian. If a kiss was all it took to reduce her to a puddle, what would the rest be like? Sighing, she laid back down, and fell quickly into sleep once more.


	2. Chapter 2

Silver

Silver

Chapter 2

All day long, Wanda had visitors. So many, in fact, that she got no extra sleep at all. First, Melanie barged in, big as the life she won back, like a baby tiger's mother. She was dressed in a kind of black tracksuit that showed off her athletic body, making Wanda jealous for just standing there. The only thing Wanda missed, aside from having a friend in your head all of the time, was the stamina Melanie had for every-day jobs. Pouting, Wanda thought of all of the silly jobs she was forced to endure because of this soft body. Melanie sat on her mattress and jabbered on about the planting and how Wanda really wasn't missed, they had enough help. As if that made Melanie feel any better.

Melanie finally left, sensing Wanda's frustration. She kissed Wanda on the cheek and told her to take a nap, she looked exhausted! Shortly after Melanie's visit, Jamie came in for a while, also filled with youthful energy.

"Melanie told me you passed out in the fields! Are you ok!?" he blurted as soon as his head cleared the opening to her "room".

Wanda smiled, hoping it looked convincing. "I'm fine, Jamie. I just got a little hot. That's all. You would think I almost died, they way they make me stay in bed all day." She cut herself off before she sounded too much like whining. Jamie smiled, and chattered on about all of the gossip of their dwelling. Doc was speculating which of the women in the group would get pregnant first, seeming as they had so much stability lately, and the rains had just stopped. Wanda blushed when Jamie said this, and looked down to hide it. Even if she was technically from another planet, she still knew exactly where babies came from, and how they came to be. Finally, Jamie was called away, probably to work in the fields, Wanda thought glumly.

Ian came in to check in no less than four times that afternoon, laughing each time at Wanda's "silly mood". He brought her a meal each time, as well.

"Are you _trying_ to make me fat?" she huffed as he brought in the fourth meal.

"Come on, babe, anyone would kill for a lie-in that lasted all day! You're lucky! Tomorrow you'll be back to work!" Ian purred into her ear, bringing the pink back into her pale cheeks.

Wanda ignored him.

Undeterred, Ian kissed her soundly each time, and left her in a thorough daze."

Doc also came in to check on his only patient once or twice. He merely smiled, checked her vitals, and asked how she felt. Her pouting and complaining didn't work on him either. He just smiled and nodded saying things like "Yes, I know it's hard," or "really?" Ug Doctors could be just AWFUL sometimes!

The last time he came to check on her, he told her she could go do the last meal of the day, if she felt like it. Wanda practically jumped out of bed, ready to race to the kitchens. Doc caught her, holding her back. "I don't think you need to go that fast, wait for a bit, and Ian will be down to walk with you," he said, obviously not wanting her to be walking the halls by herself. Wanda huffed, but sat back down.

Ian finally came, and they walked to dinner together, holding hands. Wanda's euphoria, however, was cut short when Ian sat her down at a table and insisted on waiting on her like a child. Not wanting to cause another scene, she simply smiled and accepted it. Boy, was he in for it when they got back to their room.

Jeb stopped by their table just as Wanda took a huge bite out of her roll.

"See you're feelin better," he said casually

Caught with a very un-manner amount of food in her mouth, she simply nodded, trying not to choke. Jeb laughed and sauntered off to get his own dinner.

Later that night, Wanda sighed with pleasure as she sank into the warm water of the bath-chamber. Nothing like a good soak to make a bad day go away, she thought. Leaning her head back, she focused on washing her hair. It was still covered in dried dirt and mud from passing out earlier that day. She grimaced as she felt the silt drifted out of her hair and was washed away by the moving water. Ew. She was really dirty.

Hair clean, she pulled out a brand new bar of soap she had gotten on one of their monthly raids. It smelled like raspberries. She loved that smell. She was just running the bar over her shoulders when she heard a voice at the mouth of the cavern. Squeaking, she dropped the bar of soap.

"Wanda?" It was Ian's voice.

"Yes? What is it? Did something happen?" she replied.

"Um, no. I was just wondering, um, if I could um, possibly join you? The last few words were said so quietly, she almost missed them. Blood rushed to her face.

"Y-yes!" she stuttered out. It was dark in the cavern, so she didn't have anything to worry about, right?

She could hardly make out Ian's form as he took off his work jeans and shirt. She got goose bumps just imagining what it would be like to even see him without his clothes on, she got all jittery and nervous. Quickly, she turned around, swirling the water around her shoulders. She sank down so her chin touched the water.

A slight splashing noise signaled Ian's entrance into the water. Ian giggled. "Wanda, where are you?" seemingly at ease all of the sudden. "I can't find you!" Wanda could hear him moving about the water, making small swishing noises as he searched.

"I'm right here," she replied, barely above a whisper.

The swishing noises came closer, and a pair of strong, dense arms wrapped around Wanda's tiny frame. "I found you," he whispered in her ear.

He pulled her to the edge of the pool where he sat, with her on his lap. All of his nervousness had disappeared, it seemed, because he wasted no time turning her around to face him. She shuddered at his closeness, loving the feel of his strong arms holding her tightly. He kissed her gently on the neck, gently moving down her shoulder. His hands traced her back.

"I was so worried about you today. I mean, you just fell over! I had no idea what happened!" he whispered, placing his forehead on her shoulder. "Please don't work in the fields anymore. I can't stand wondering if you're all right all of the time. Doc says he needs someone to help him in his part of the caverns. As planting starts, he gets busier. He wants you to be a sort of nurse for him. I know it isn't always near me, but you won't be washing dishes all of the time. Will you please think about it?"

Tears threatened. She feared if she said anything, she would cry, so she just nodded, knowing Ian would feel it. His response was immediate. He heaved a great sigh, and placed his searing lips on hers. Relief made him bold, as he hefted her closer to him, pressing them together.

Wanda all but melted into him. He was her life, her reason for staying on this planet. She would even betray her own kind for him. Of course she would do as he asked. Loving the feel of him, she was almost sad when he pulled away. In the dim light, she could see his radiant smile, eyes sparkling.

"Come on. Let's finish here and go back to our room." That was all she needed to hear.


	3. Chapter 3

Silver

Silver

Chapter 3

AN: For an adult version of this story, go to under the name kawaiichan to read this story.

Nervous excitement engulfed Wanda as Ian lifted her out of the water. He placed her gently on her feet near her towel and clothes. Wanda wasted no time drying off and getting dressed.

"Ian!" she hissed when he bent over to kiss her neck

"Mmm?" he murmured, still kissing her neck.

"Stop it! Can't you wait until we get to our room?" Ian wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her once before letting her go. Wanda quickly toweled off and dressed. "Let's go, Ian" Wanda said, a little nervously. What she was about to do was slowly dawning on her. _Oh god, _she thought. _What if I'm really bad at this? How does it even work? _She quickly grabbed Ian's had and held on tightly as they strode through the passage ways closer and closer to their room. When they actually got there, Wanda was close to panicking. Thoughts were racing through her head, and none of them were too reassuring. _What if he doesn't like it? What if I'm really bad at it? Will it hurt?... _

Wanda almost jumped when Ian stopped suddenly. Looking around, she realized they were outside their room and Ian was now moving the doors away so they could enter. Seeing the bed, Wanda straightened and walked over to the mattress. She sat down and moved back so Ian could join her. What was she worried about? Ian loved her, and she loved him. Even if it was awkward, Ian would not hate her, she just needed to relax.

Ian smiled at her sudden boldness. "You sure you want to do this? Do you feel well enough?"

For a moment, anger surged through her, suprising her thoroughly. "I'm fine, Ian. Just come here. We both have waited too long for this."

Ian leaned over to her, pushing her gently down so her head rested on her pillow. Ian was all gentleness as he cradled her head in his hand, kissing her slowly on the mouth. It was a smoldering heat, like when she kissed him in Mel's body. Only this time, the fire flared quickly, leaving her breathless as he moved down her neck.

Wanda felt him tentatively lift the hem of her shirt, placing a warm palm on her stomach. She jerked at the touch, but understood what he wanted. Quickly, she sat up and pulled her shirt off. She was anxious now, and moved to unbutton his work shirt, kissing him on the chest where she unbuttoned it. In her frustration to be done with the shirt, she yanked it from his shoulders.

"Whoa, Wanda, slow down!"

Wanda slowly opened her eyes and smiled. Last night had been amazing. She and Ian were now partners in the truest sense. Happiness and joy filled her to the very top. Rolling over, she snuggled up to Ian, draping an arm over his warm chest. Ian stirred, then woke up. He looked down at Wanda and smiled. She was astonished. There was no awkwardness between them. She was elated. They belonged together like no one else.

Ian yawned, stretched, and sat up. "Lets get some breakfast, babe."

Wanda smiled and sat up as well. They dressed in silence, eager for breakfast. Since their last raid, they had plenty of breakfast-worthy items. Wanda was looking forward to pop tarts and orange juice. This body had such a sweet tooth! Wanda took Ian's hand once they were both dressed and walking down the hallway and giggled. Ian gripped her small hand and gave it a squeeze as he looked down at her. "You're bouncing again,"

Like a scolded child, Wanda calmed down. It was hard, however. Ian had spoken of her working with Doc and she wanted to talk with him, just to make sure. Finally, she would be able to work and contribute!

They reached the kitchens, finally, and sat down at the table they usually used. Jeb and Mel were already there, chatting about some long-ago event; before the arrival of the "worms".

"Hi Wanda!" a bright voice called behind her. Wanda turned around to find Jamie walking up behind her, two bags of pop tarts in his hand.

"Good morning, Jamie." She replied, smiling, thanking him as he handed her the coveted breakfast food. She looked at the package. They were raspberry, her favorite. She smiled at Jamie and ripped into the package.

"Wow, Wanda, are you hungry or something?" Mel asked, looking up from her own bowl of eggs.

Wanda just looked up and smiled. Nothing would get in the way of her time with the hand-held wonder known as a pop tart. She elbowed Ian in the ribs when he laughed along with Mel. Jared showed up just then, seeing Wanda stuff herself with sugary goodness. He smiled when he saw Ian rubbing his ribs. Someone made a joke about Wanda again. Leaning down, he kissed Mel on the cheek before he sat next to her.

Suddenly, Wanda stopped eating and looked around. "Where's Doc?"

Jared was the one to answer her. "He's in the hospital wing. He ate early, saying he had some stuff to do. He told me to send you down when you were ready."

Wanda immediately jumped up, hauling Ian along with her. "Ok, let's go."

"Jeeze, Wanda, let me finish!" Ian said, trying to hold back laughter.

Wanda was so excited to start working in the hospital wing, she could hardly stand it. Her buoyant body didn't help either. She practically bounced in place, waiting for Ian to say he was ready. She glared at her partner when he made a show of chewing each bite slowly and deliberately.

Wanda punched his arm.

Finally, Ian stood up and took his dishes to the kitchen to be washed. Smiling, he held out his arm for Wanda. She wasted no time. She grabbed his arm and attempted to haul him off. Apparently, her behavior was a great source of entertainment to the rest of those present, because she heard more than one muffled giggle from the crowd. Flushing a bright red, she lowered her head, and meekly followed Ian out into the hallway. Ian wrapped his arm around her, and they strolled down the dimly lit halls as if they were on a stroll through the park. Wanda sighed inwardly. She supposed she shouldn't be too excited to work with Doc. She might bust something trying to help. Again, she cursed this body's clumsy streak. As if someone heard, Wanda promptly tripped over the uneven surface of the halway. Ian's strong arm was all that kept her from tasting desert rock. Again. Stupid feet, she thought as she carefully walked the rest of the way to the Hospital wing and Doc.


	4. new author's note

Ok. this isnt' working. silly me, trying to use a computer...

Ok. Go to and search under the topic of "Twilight" The story name is Silver by kawaichan. Let me know if there are still problems.

Kawaiigemini


	5. Chapter 4

Silver

Silver

chapter 4

AN: I am PROFOUNDLY sorry for all of the confusion regarding chapter 3 of this fic. Thank you to all who helped and notified me of the problems. On with the story. I will be playing a little catch up to align the two version. Expect strangeness.

Wanda happily skipped into the hospital wing, towing Ian behind her. Doc laughed out loud when he looked up and saw the display she shamelessly exhibited. "Good morning, Eustace!" Wanda knew just how much he hated that name, and a small part of her reveled in the flush that reached all the way up to his forehead.

"Wanda, don't make Doc change his mind," Ian said as he bent down for a good-bye kiss. He surprised her by pulling her flush against his chest. She moaned into him and melted into the rather amazing kiss he laid on her. She was slightly out of breath when he let go. Now it was Wanda's turn to blush.

"Don't work her too hard, Doc." He said over his shoulder, sauntering out of the hospital wing. He was thoroughly pleased with himself.

Smiling to herself, she turned to Doc. "Reporting for duty, sir!" she said cheekily.

"You're not going to make me regret this idea, are you?" Doc asked with mock exasperation.

"Nah, I'm just that glad to have something important to do. I'll work hard, believe me," she replied, suddenly serious.

Doc nodded and handed her a bottle of Clean and strips of cloth. "Soak these in the clean and hang them on the beams I set up over there," he indicated the 2x4's in a shallow recess in the rock. "Let me know when you're done."

Smiling, Wanda got to work, pleased she was doing something. For once, on one took this work from her, making her watch instead of contributing. She hummed tunelessly to herself as she worked, gently soaking each strip and hanging it to dry. She wondered if this was what doing laundry was like. She had always sent her laundry out to be cleaned when she lived in Mel's body. The thought of doing something domestic pleased her greatly.

Once she finished, she noted the first couple of strips she had soaked were already done. Guessing what Doc wanted from her, she attempted rolling them, like she had seen in the storage cabinets. What she hadn't realized earlier was bandage rolling was hard! She just couldn't figure out how to start the roll! Frustrated, she threw down the bandages.

As Wanda struggled, Doc watched her, silently laughing at her struggles. Every health care professional should have to pass this test. Rolling bandages was once considered a great skill, before modern gauze was invented. When she threw down her work in defeat, Doc walked over, tapping her on the shoulder and placing a pencil in her hand. "Here, use this. It will make it loads easier."

"You were watching me!?" she asked, still frustrated.

Doc, hiding a smile, replied "Only for a few minutes. Truly, I didn't just stand there. Use the pencil to start the roll. Then it will go much faster."

Wanda considered the pencil, and quickly guessing its purpose, she began rolling again. This time, she had much more success. She was half way through her strips, when a commotion by the cavern door drew both her and Doc's attention.

Four of the biggest guys in the complex shuffled in, bearing the weight of another hefty man.

"What happened?" Doc asked, the picture of composure. Wanda cringed, hoping she wouldn't see too much blood.

Jared happened to be one of the men helping. "Josh was cleaning the mirrors in the south cavern and fell off of the ladder. I saw him fall. It was from the very top of the ladder."

Doc swore. Those ladders were at least 20 feet tall. Quickly, Doc gave directions, having the men place Josh on one of the padded tables used to examine his patients and shooed the men away. "I need room. All of you, out. Not you, Wanda. Come here and clean up his face a little."

Wanda raced to comply, grabbing a towel and soaking it in one of the clay cisterns near the table. Gently, she began to clean the grit from the mirrors off of his face. Josh was young, maybe 20. He was a new comer to their group. He had heard rumors of this place, and sought it out. Before, he had been hiding in the mountains in Colorado.

Suddenly, Josh's eyes popped open, eyes rolling. For a moment, he focused on Wanda's silver-hued eyes, and he screamed, lashing out. He struck Wanda squarely on the left side of her face, sending her spinning away, into one of the walls. His high school class ring cut open a gash above her eyebrow.

Josh, confused from his fall, began shrieking about worms, thinking he had been caught. Wanda, dazed from the blow, slumped down one of the rough walls. Her head was throbbing and vision hazy. Fear ebbed and flowed through her body, disoriented from the blow to her head, and the collision into the wall. Her vision dimmed, and she remembered no more.

Wanda came-to quickly, knowing exactly what had happened. She sat up, far too quickly, and fell back again, dizzy.

"Hold still, Wanda," Doc's face swam into her vision. "I have close up that gash in your forehead. You seem to have a problem staying conscious this week," Doc smiled at her as he sprayed No Pain in her face. She breathed it in deep, hoping it would help clear her head. It did. She lay still as Doc poured Heal and then Smooth on the gash. When he was done, he helped Wanda sit up and gave her a mirror. Not even a small scar remained. She looked around, and saw Josh laying on a cot in the middle of the room, late-afternoon sunshine from the vents glowing around him. He seemed to be sleeping. _Good_, she thought. _Let it stay that way_.

"Wow Doc, you're good," Wanda said, half joking. Doc smiled and helped her sit up.

"Stay here. I'm going to get Ian," he made a move to go, but Wanda grabbed his arm.

"Don't!" she said, her voice echoing off of the walls. "Don't tell Ian! He'll never let me come back!"

"Tell me what," Ian's voice sounded from the door. He sounded angry. Ian appeared at Wanda's side. He took her face in his hands, inspecting it. Satisfied, he let go and turned to Doc. "I was just coming down here to pick up Wanda, and now I hear she tried her skills as a punching bag. Is she alright?"

Doc looked at Wanda, then Ian. "Josh woke to find Wanda looking into his eyes. He thought He had been caught. It was an accident."

"Exactly. So let's go, Ian. I'm fine." Wanda made to jump off of the table and swayed, the floor coming up to say hi. Ian caught her before she really intimate with the rock

"Sure you are, liar." Ian swept her up bridal-style, nodded to Doc and started for the door.

Doc's stopped Ian at the door. "She probably has a concussion. Wake her up every hour or so, and don't let her move around too much today or tomorrow." Doc winked at her "You get a little vacation, enjoy!" he waved as Ian turned with her towards their room.

_Great_, Wanda thought, _at this rate, I'll NEVER get to work with Doc again. _She sighed, resigned to yet another day spent in bed.


	6. Chapter 5

Silver

Silver

Chapter 5

Several weeks had gone by since the events in the hospital wing. Josh, recovered from his fall, apologized over and over to Wanda. She smiled each time, telling him she probably would have done the same thing. She thought the apologies were a bit false, but kept that to herself. Ian didn't need to hear about that. Knowing him, he would take it so far out of context that he would challenge Josh to an old fashion duel. She almost giggled at the thought, Almost. The thought of Ian with a gun, however, was not so entertaining.

Wanda learned more and more from Doc each day. He turned out to be a fabulous teacher. Doc often joked that as long as blood wasn't involved, she could have his job. Wanda, secretly loving the praise, worked hard each day. Happily, no other incidences kept her from the hospital. Each day she cleaned, sanitized, rolled bandages, and even learned to give immunizations. Their last few raids included stops at clinics throughout the four corners region. They had preventative vaccines for tetanus, MMR, influenza, and various others she had never heard of or couldn't pronounce. She had struggled at first with inflicting any pain what so ever, but finally decided the results were worth it. Now, if someone stepped on a rusty nail, no one had to worry about the devastating affects of tetanus.

One morning, Wanda woke up sweating way more than she felt should be legal. The summer was shaping up to be one of the hottest in a while, and tempers were short. No fewer than three fights happened at breakfast. At each instance, Wanda hid her pale face in Ian's chest, comforted by his strong arm around her. All three fights were broken up quickly by Jeb and his "insurance policy"; a rifle. Wanda hated that even more.

After breakfast that morning, Ian escorted Wanda to the hospital like always. For some reason, Wanda felt strange, like she didn't want to be very far from Ian, but kept it to herself. Ian had enough to do to without worrying about her all of the time. When they arrived, Ian leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.

"Don't sweat the fights, babe. The heat just makes people cranky. See you at lunch," and he turned to leave. Wanda caught him before he left, hugging him from behind.

"I love you," she said simply. Ian turned around in the circle of her arms and returned the embrace.

"Same here, babe. Same here. Let's put our names on the board for the bathing pool tonight. You're so stressed with all of these scuffles, we can just float. How does that sound?" he said quietly, resting his chin on her head.

"hm. That does sound good. A float-date sounds good to me." She squeezed him once and let him go.

Doc, sensing their need for quiet, had busied himself with checking his supply of Clean. As soon as Ian left, he turned around and gave a clipboard to Wanda. "Finish this up, will you? I have to check up on the contenders from this morning.

Wanda knew what he was talking about.. A few of the fights this morning had produced some rather nasty injuries. One man sported a broken nose, another, cracked ribs. Wanda smiled, and climbed up on a stool to finish the inventory. They would think twice before trying to solve their problems that way. Wanda hardly needed to plead her case for a violence free home when these hot-heads did it for her.

She was just finishing up her counts when an extraordinary wave of nausea hit her. Doubling over, she ran for the impromptu rest room in the hospital. She wretched up her breakfast until nothing came up anymore. Exhausted, she slumped against the wall. What was wrong with her? Why did she feel so awful? Hauling herself up, she walked carefully over to the storage area and opened a bottle of water, taking a large drink to get the taste from her mouth. This sent her scurrying for the bathroom again, her stomach refusing the water.

"Wanda?" Doc's voice came to her from behind. "What's wrong? He leaned over and took her hair from her face, keeping it from getting in the way.

"Nothing," she croaked when the spell had passed. "I'm alright. I think."

"Come on, let's get you more comfortable. I'll send for Ian—No, don't fight me on that," holding up a hand to stop her protests. "Ian would hurt me if I kept anything from him. You know that." Doc disappeared for a bit, calling for Ian.

Wanda laid down on the cot, trying to think of anything but her naughty stomach. She didn't have to wait long. She had just gotten her stomach to agree with her that throwing up again was _not_ a good idea when Ian came to a skidding halt in front of her.

"What is it, Wanda?" he asked, panting. _Oh great,_ she thought. _He sprinted down here like I was dying. _

She sat up, putting a hand up when Ian protested. "I'm fine, Ian. I just got a little sick, that's all."

Ian opened his mouth to object when Doc interrupted them both. Without a word, he placed a cage on his desk. The metal of the cage screeched on the steel surface of his work space. Both Ian and Wanda looked over at the strange inturruption. Ian raised an eyebrow. Wanda squealed in fright. Inside of the cage sat a desert rabbit, staring at them both with black, shiny eyes.

"Wh-What is that!?" Wanda whispered, her voice going up an octave or two at the last word.

"uh, it's a rabbit, Wanda." Ian ducked as Wanda slapped at him. He didn't need to move very far. Everyone knew Wanda wouldn't _actually_ hit anyone.

"I know it's a rabbit, Ian," Wanda snapped, suddenly peevish. "I want to know what it's _doing_ here." As if on cue, a monster headache made its entrance in her right temple.

"Since we don't have any pregnancy tests available, this is the best we can do right now," Doc piped up, sensing a need for an intervention. He smiled inwardly at the looks on both their faces. They looked from Doc to each other, then the color red popped up on both their faces, mouths hanging wide open. He loved his job.

Ian was the first to recover. "Doc, how is a rabbit going to tell us if Wanda is…um, "with child"."

Smiling, Doc explained. "We inject some of Wanda's blood into the rabbit and wait. If the rabbit dies within 24 hours, you're pregnant. If the rabbit lives, then he gets a reprieve until the next hopeful couple comes along."

Wanda looked stricken. "D-dies? She whispered.

Doc sighed. "Yes, Wanda, dies. It's the only way to know if you're really pregnant, or if there is something else wrong that we need to figure out. If it helps, the rabbit won't feel anything."

Wanda couldn't look up, just nod her consent. She was stricken with too many emotions. Pregnant? How could that be? She knew exactly _how_ it happened, but still. Did fate actually work that way? Was this a good thing? Did Ian want a baby? The questions didn't stop until she felt Doc taking her arm. She knew what was coming, and she looked away. Ian took her other hand, squeezing it gently.

In a daze, Wanda hardly registered Doc's voice. "I'm sorry, what?"

Doc smiled. "Get some rest. We'll know in a day." He looked over Wanda's head and nodded to Ian. Wanda felt herself being cradled against Ian's chest. Staring straight ahead, she allowed Ian to take her to their room. He placed her softly on their bed and took her chin in his hand, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"Are you alright?" he asked, concern filling his expression

"Ian, what are we going to do?" she whispered.

"Do? Wanda, aren't you excited?" he asked, confused.

She looked up. "Excited? You mean, you're ok with is?"

Ian laughed. "Of course! Can you imagine?! A baby! Our baby!" he laughed again, hugging her. Wanda almost cried. Instead, she hugged him back. They stayed that way for some time before Ian stood up, pulling her up too. "come one, let's go float."

AN: Well, that was a hard chapter to write. Did anyone see this coming? This is the real reason I started to write this story. Let me know what you think. I love the reviews, they keep me writing!. Ciao!


	7. Chapter 6

Silver

Silver

Chapter 6

AN: For any of you who are confused about the rabbit, yes, it is entirely true. In the old days (ca 1920's), when pregnancy tests had not been invented, if a person wanted to find out if she were pregnant, she would go to her doctor. He would take a urine sample and inject it into a rabbit. (yeah, I got that one wrong in the story, maybe I'll fix it." If the person was pregnant, a specific hormone present in the urine would make the rabbit's ovaries swell up so much that it would die. If she were not pregnant, nothing would happen to the rabbit. If you're curious about this, search "The rabbit died" in any search engine for the history of the pregnancy test. That line, the rabbit died, was the equivalent of today's "It's positive" or something along those lines, indicating the sign on the at-home pregnancy tests. Sorry for any confusion. I am an avid reader, and I pick up a lot of really weird information. Someday, my curiosity might get me in trouble. On with the show…

Wanda felt horrible all day. She couldn't keep anything down until after dinner when she tried eating some rice. Thankfully, that seemed to agree with her and she perked up after dinner. Ian wasn't convinced that she needed to be swimming around after dinner, but he couldn't deny her mood was much improved, so they made their way down to the bathing pool hand in hand.

Somehow, Wanda had lost all shyness around Ian. They were currently stark naked together in the bathing pool, and she had absolutely no problem with that. She giggled a little, splashing Ian, getting him back for a prior assault. Really, they didn't do much floating. It was more just enjoying the warm water and playing around in it, like kids. She was having such a good time, she even forgot about the rabbit issue. She still had no idea how it all worked, but hopefully, the rabbit wouldn't hold a grudge. What she really wanted to know was just _how_ Doc got his hands on a desert rabbit. Those things were fast!

Her reverie was broken, however, when Ian suddenly gathered her up against him, lifted her up above the warm, flowing water, and without warning dropped her into the water again. Wanda came up sputtering and flailing, aiming for Ian. The darkness aided his get away.

"Hey!" she cried, while laughing, "I could be in a delicate way!" She finished without thinking. Silence greeted her for a brief moment before Ian wrapped her up in a gentle embrace.

"Wanda, I'm so sorry! Are you alright? I didn't think!" he said, voice full of concern.

"Of course I am, you oaf! I was joking!" she replied, laughing and pushing him away. "I don't think we have anything to worry about just yet." She swam away, making sure she kicked water right in his face. Ian laughed and dived after her.

Sadly, when their turn for the pool drew to a close, they gathered their things, dressed and left. Wanda was tired out from the splashing around, and leaned on Ian as they made their way to their rooms. She squeaked when Ian surprised her by picking her up bridal-style and launching her on the bed when they got there.

"Oof—Hey!" she protested when she landed. She hated it when her body did anything un-graceful.

Ian laughed and sat down next to her on the bed. He gazed down at her and took her face in his hands. "Will you even be able to sleep tonight for wondering?

"No. I'm too curious. And I'm worried about the rabbit. Does it really have to die?" she asked.

"For the last time, yes, we have to know! If the rabbit dies, Doc will send it to the kitchens, and Jeb will have a nice dinner. It won't be wasted." He said, faking exasperation.

"Ew. I can't believe Jeb would even look at a cooked rabbit."

"Come on, Wanda, it's late. Let's get some sleep," he said and he kissed her on the lips. All thoughts of sleep fell from her mind as she enjoyed the feel of Ian's lips on hers. Enthusiastically, she responded, throwing her arms around him and pulling him down onto the bed.

Ian finally pulled away, nibbling on her ear as he sat up. "Come one, babe, let's go to bed. We'll probably need our wits about us in the morning."

Wanda nodded and turned off the blue light next to their bed and snuggled against her partner's chest. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her on top of her head. Both stayed awake for quite a while that night, questions keeping sleep at bay. Finally, however, sleep took them both.

The next morning, Doc found the two eating breakfast. Well, Ian was, Wanda just looked at his plate, a green look on her face. He smiled at that. She would be feeling a lot of that for a while. He hurried over to them, leaning over to speak quietly with them. "The rabbit died. Congratulations," he whispered so no one would hear. Wanda's squeal of excitement, however, spoiled any secrecy for them. Heads turned as she bounced in her seat, a look of sickening love in her eyes directed right at Ian.

One of those not excited about having a "worm" in their haven spoke out. "Go somewhere else if you're going to make those god awful goo-goo eyes at him"

Before anyone could find the identity of the speaker, however, Jeb strolled in, rifle in hand. He sent a scathing look in the direction of the speaker, and that was that. No one messed with Jeb and his rules. "What's so exciting, kid?" he asked as he sat down to a plate of French toast. Wanda, still bouncing in her seat, looked up at Ian for permission.

"Go ahead, it's not really my secret to tell, is it?" he asked, a smile on his face. Before she could open her mouth, however, Jeb spoke.

"Stars above. She's pregnant, isn't she?" he whispered, leaning over towards them. Wanda nodded enthusiastically, forgetting she had been feeling ill at the sight of food only a few seconds ago.

"Hey!" Ian protested as Wanda attacked his bowl of oatmeal. Her innocent look silenced him. He pushed the bowl toward her, disgusted with himself, and went to get another bowl for himself.


	8. Chapter 7

Silver

Silver

Chapter 7

AN: Someone asked what this story was doing on the Twilight section, and my answer for that is Host doesn't have it's own category. Any suggestions? I'm rather new to FF, so I don't know how to add a category or whatever. Thanks. Also, I had a comment about out of character moments. This is simply my lack of talent in capturing a character. I really suck at it. Has anyone noticed how much like Bella Wanda acts sometimes? That's cause I get really confused with my characters. Oh well. If it bothers you, just ignore it.

As usual, Ian dropped Wanda off at Doc's right after breakfast. Doc, sitting at his desk with his feet up and a book in his hand, looked up in surprise. "Wanda, Ian, what are you doing here?"

"Uh, I'm coming to work, Doc" Wanda replied, a smile on her face.

"You don't need to come in, especially if you're not feeling well," Doc said, getting out of his seat.

"Sit down, Doc. If I don't feel well, I'll leave, but don't make me sit around and be bored!" Wanda pleaded. The look on her face must have convinced him, because he nodded, and sat down.

"Ian, you're ok with this?" Doc was confused.

"Of course. If there's a problem, I can't think of a better place for her to be than with you! You are a doctor, after all, unless you lied to us to get on our good side," Ian joked, laughing at the look on his face. Doc shrugged and picked up his book.

"By the way, when are you going to tell everyone?" Doc asked around his book.

Wanda, caught off guard, replied "Um, I don't know, soon, I guess. Why? Jeb already knows. It's hard to keep anything from him."

"No reason. I figured Jeb would know. Ian, can I ask you something? I'll walk you out," Doc said getting up once again. "Wanda, can you go pick up some paper from the storage? Just some blank computer paper, or whatever you find. Just a little will be fine."

Wanda, confused, jumped off of the desk and walked out of the room. Doc was even worse at keeping things quiet than she was. Something was up. She shrugged. Ian would tell her later. She hoped. When she got back with the paper, Doc was setting up a set of shelves against the wall without vents.

"What are those for?" Wanda asked, setting the ream of paper down on his desk.

"I'm setting up shelves for the records. Since it's been so quiet lately, I thought I would start a record-system for everyone here. We don't have any computers to keep it, but doctors did it years ago without them, so I thought you could help me. Each person here will have a profile with their information. It will help to keep me informed should there be a problem." Doc began explaining what he wanted from her for this project. Wanda was psyched. She would still be useful even pregnant!

She worked on getting the records together until lunch time. When Doc tapped her on the shoulder, she jumped. Looking around, she saw Ian standing in the doorway. Happily, she got up from the desk to meet him.

"How are you feeling, babe?" he asked with a smile on his face.

"I'm fine. A little tired, but I think I can eat lunch. As long as it's not oatmeal. I don't think I could stomach that," Wanda replied, her nose crinkling.

Ian laughed "But that's all you wanted this morning!" he was obviously amused.

"Sounds like she's starting early," Doc smirked down at Wanda. "She'll be like this for a while. Get used to it."

Wanda stuck her tongue out at Doc. She turned Ian around and dragged him from the room.

"You're in a good mood," Ian commented as they made their way to the kitchens.

Happily, Wanda told Ian about her new project as they stood in line for their lunch. Today, it was grilled cheese and tomato soup. As they got closer to the large vat of rust colored liquid, Wanda became more and more pale. Suddenly, she bolted from the line, running for bathrooms.

When she emerged, Ian was leaning against the rough-hewn wall across from the doorway. He looked worried. "Are you alright?"

Wanda just shook her head and made for their room. Ian followed silently, reaching for her hand. When they reached their room, Wanda sat down on the bed and burst into tears. Ian was frantic. "Babe! What is it!?"

Wanda just sobbed. "I d—don't know! I just feel like c-crying!" she buried her head in Ian's shoulder. "What's wrong with m-me?" she asked through her tears.

"Don't worry, it's just your body. Do you know anything about our pregnancies? I don't know everything. Maybe you should talk to someone else. Ask Mel." Ian told her.

"Mel?" she asked, mentally beating herself up for not thinking of this herself. Reproduction was completely different amongst her kind. Of course she didn't know what the hell was going on. Wanda nodded. "Ok. I'll ask her. Just not today. I just want to sleep right now."

Ian helped her lay down on their bed, pulling a blanket up for her. He lay down next to her, stroking her hair. Wanda sighed and fell asleep, grasping Ian's free hand.


End file.
